Method of making vehicle wheels



Aug. 3, 1937. E. A. BIERWIRTH ET AL 1 2,033,992

METHOD OF MAKING VEHICLE WHEELS Filed Sept. 1a, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 F|e.2A.

11v VENTORS EDWIN A. BIERWIRTH HERMAN JmKlENLE j Qspoked wheel. in the novel method of forming such wheel as Patented Aug. 3 1937 2,088,992; METHOD or MAKINGv mcLE WHEELS Edwin Aipi rwiith and Herman J. medianstroit, Mich, assignors to Kelsey-Hayes Wheel Company, Detroit, Mich,

Delaware 1 a corporation of 1' ApplicationSelItember 16, 1936, Serial No. 101,170

7 Claims." (Cl. 29-15931) invention relates to the manufacture of vehicle wheels of wthat type in which the wheel center forgconnecting the rim to the hub is formed ofpressed sheet metal. In the present state of the art of automobilemanufacture, the wheels form elements in the generalorna'mental design of 'theacar andare'required to IU-VB a certain predeterminedappearance. It is therefore i the problem of the wheel manufacturer to obtain the best mechanical construction and the one which can be most easily manufactured under [the limitations prescribed by the design. The present invention may be considered as a modificatlon of a dished disk wheel which, however,

- is so fashioned'as to produce the appearance of a. The invention therefore consists hereinafter set forth. In the drawings: Figure l is a, radial cross section through a wheel center as formed by our improved method online i-l of Figure 2;

Figure 2 Ba front elevation of a segment of this structure; Figure 2A is a cross section on line Ill -2A,

Figure 2; i a Figure 3 is a cross section illustrating the first step of the forming process;

Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 are similar views showing successive steps.

parallel planes and connected by an oblique or conical portion C. In the next step (Figure 4) n the blank is preferably reversed in position and pressed to bring the extreme peripheral portion B down into substantially the plane of the central portion with-an intermediate obliquely extending retumbent portion D. At the same time a circular series of pockets E are pressed into the portion D so as to leave intermediate said pockets rounded spoke portions F, shown in cross section in Flgure2A. In the succeeding step (Figure 5) the peripheral portion B turned downward to form an annular flange 13 parallel with the axis of the blank and the other portions of the blank are re-struck to further re fashion the same. The pockets E are next pierced (Figure 6) to form n the apertures G but leaving portions Hbetween said apertures and the flange B at substantially right angles thereto. The center of the portion A is then pierced (Figure 'l) to leafs an annular flange A forming the-bolting-on' flange of the n will not be described. 3

wheel. The further operations of fashioning this flange and forming the bolt holes therein form no part of the present invention and therefore The wheel, center formed as above described can be manufactured atilow cost on accountof the relativelysmall number of dies and separate operations required, In addition 'to the characteristics of a dished disk, the structure is strengthened by the corrugations or channelshaped spoke sections F. The apertures G, in addition to giving the spoke appearance, lighten the structure by the removal of the unnecessary I metal.

What we claim as our invention is:

'1. In a method of forming pressed sheet metal wheel centers, the steps of dishing a circular sheet metal blank to form a central portion and a peripheral portion in spaced substantially parallel planes with an intermediate obliquely extending portion, re-pressing to bring the extreme peripheral portion into substantially the plane of the central portion and with the return-bent portion intermediate the same, pressing a series of pockets in said return-bent portion leaving intermediate the same rounded radially extendingportions simulating spokes and'turning the extreme peripheral portion to form an annular flange.

2. In a method of forming pressed sheet metal wheel centers, the steps of dishing a circular sheet metal blank to form a central portion and a peripheral portion in spacedsubstantially parallel planes with an intermediate obliquely extending portion, re-pressing to bring the extreme peripheral portion substantially into the plane of said central portion with an obliquely extending return-bent portion, and simultaneously pressing in said obliquely extendingreturn-bent portion a circular series of pockets depressed to substantially the plane of the peripheral portion and with rounded radiallyextending portions intermediate said pockets simulating spokes and turning the extreme peripheral portion to form an annular flange.

3. In a method of forming pressed sheet metal. wheel centers, the steps of dishing a circular sheet metal blank to form a central portion and a -peripheral portion in spaced substantially parallel planes with an intermediate obliquely extending portion, re-pressingto bring the extreme peripheral portion substantially into the plane of said central portion with an obliquely extending return-bent portion, and simultaneously pressing in said obliquely extending return-- bent portion a circular series 0! pockets depressed to substantially the plane of the peripheral portionand with rounded radially extending" portions intermediate said pockets simulating spokes, turning the extreme peripheral'portion to form an annular flange, and piercing the pocket portions to separate the spoke .portions from each other.

4. In a method of torming pressed sheet metal wheel centers, the steps or dishing a circular sheet metal blank to form a central portion and a peripheral portion in spaced substantially par allel planes, reversely dishing the peripheral portion and forming a radially extending flange at the extreme periphery, pressing a circular series oi pockets in the reversely dished portion leaving intermediate adjacent pocketsrounded radially extending portions simulating spokes, and turning the extreme peripheral portion to form an annular flange.

5. In a method of forming pressed sheet metal wheel centers, the stepsof dishing a circular sheet metal blank to form a central portion and a peripheral portion in spaced substantially parallel planes, reversely dishing the peripheral portion and i'orminga radially extending flange at the extreme periphery, pressing a circular series of pockets in said reversely dished portion and forming radial portions intermediate said pockets of a rounded channel cross section, piercing said pockets to separate the spoke portions from each other and piercing the central portion to form thereof an annular bolting-on flange.

6. In a method of forming pressed sheet metal wheel centers, the steps of dishing a circular sheet metal blank to form a central portion and a peripheral portion in spaced substantially parallel planes with an intermediate obliquely extending portion, re-pressing to bring the extreme peripheral portion into substantially the plane of the central portion and with a return-bent porrounded radially extending portions simulating spokes and piercing said pockets.

. EDWIN A. BIERWIRTH.

HERMAN J. KIENLE. 

